Chiropractic is the most appropriate treatment for people with mild to moderate conditions involving the neuro-muscular systems (head, back, and neck).
Whenever possible, we try to treat these conditions without drugs or surgery. We take our commitment to our patients very seriously and believe that – in addition to delivering quality care – it is also our responsibility to provide comprehensive information about ways to improve overall health and fitness.
Diagnostic Imaging?
X-rays and other types of images can be helpful. Pictures of your spine can confirm your Chiropractor’s other findings and make your care more precise. Your D. C. will tell you if X-rays are needed after completing the other examinations.
How long until I feel better?
Some patients experience almost instant relief. Others discover it can take a few weeks, but your chiropractor will tell you how long your healing process will take at the time of evaluating your x-rays. Every patient recovers at their own pace. Factors which can affect the healing process include your age, your overall health condition, muscle tone, sitting lifting bending habits, diet and even your attitude.
When will I get my first adjustment?
It depends upon your complaint and how long it may take to study your examination findings. This is a clinical decision and varies from patient to patient. Most Chiropractors will perform an adjustment on the first visit if pain level is high.
Will I receive any medication for my pain?
Chiropractic doctors don’t dispense drugs. Because we rely on natural methods, ask for directions on how to use ice or heat to control any painful symptoms. Ice, when properly applied, can have an analgesic effect without the side effects associated with pain medications. Heat produces muscle relaxation that may aleviate pressure on your spine. When in doubt ice is generally safer to use. Please call our clinic for specific directions on the proper use of these therapies for self-care at home.
What does treatment consist of?
Chiropractic treatment consists of spinal adjustments and therapy. An adjustment takes less than 5 minutes. You lay on an adjustment table fully clothed while the D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) turns your hips a certain way like a twist. The patient will be able to feel the spine move. The same is done for the neck, mid back and low back, depending on your symptoms and x-rays. It does not hurt. It feels good. Think of moving your neck from side to side. The vertebrae are suppose to be completely flexible. Some patients have limited range of motion on one side of their neck. For lack of a better word, one of two vertebrae “stuck” in the wrong position, a chiropractor gets it “unstuck” by “adjusting” it. People come out of the office with full range of motion in their neck (for instance) smiling saying things like “It feels like I’m floating on air”… For the first time they can move their neck in any direction without that pain.
What therapies will I recieve and what do they do for me?
The second part of your treatment usually consists of electrical muscle stimulation (TENS, IFC, and M-RE-ED), manual therapy, laser therapy, hot/cold packs, spinal decompression, and/or physical therapy.
- EMS or Electrical Muscle Stimulation: The patient lays on therapy table and small electro pads are placed on the tension area with light electrical pulses radiating deep into the muscle tissue. Its meant to increase circulation, relax the muscles and tendons, and reduce edema.
- Manual Therapy: The patient usually lays on a therapy table while a handheld massager, activator, or the hands themselves are used over the area of complaint to help increase the range of motion of a joint, eliminate soft tissue swelling, and improve contractile and noncomtractile tissue extensibility.
- Ice and heat packs: Ice, when properly applied, can have an analgesic effect without the side effects associated with pain medications. Heat produces muscle relaxation that may aleviate pressure on your spine. When in doubt ice is generally safer to use. Please call our clinic for specific directions on the proper use of these therapies for self-care at home.
- Physcial Therapy: These are exercises or activities to help improve range of motion, strength, flexibility, and endurance of the area of complaint. These exercises or activities can be done in a variety of different ways and your doctor will decide which will best be suited for your specific case.
- Laser Therapy: Learn more here in our Laser section.
- Acupuncture: Learn more here in our Acupuncture section.
- Spinal Decompression: Learn more here in SD section.
Does it hurt?
Spinal Adjustments DO NOT HURT. The spinal adjustment itself does not hurt, however you may be sore after the first adjustment similar to starting an exercise program.
Is it dangerous?
Chiropractic is NOT dangerous. With over 20 million adjustments given every month in this country, the risk factor of an injury is roughly one in several hundred million. The fact is the chiropractic profession has the least number of malpractice suits than any other medical profession. Chiropractic malpractice insurance ranges 5 to 20 times cheaper than all other medical doctors’ simply because a malpractice lawsuit is so rare within chiropractic.
